Euro Trip Week 1 Round-Up

In case you missed it, I’m currently traveling through Europe, exploring hidden corners and must-see spots in Eastern Europe, the Balkans and the UK. I’ve been posting daily updates from my adventures on Facebook and Twitter, but in case you missed some of those, I’ve also decided to put together a weekly round-up to update anyone who’s interested on what I’ve been up to for the past 7-ish days.

Here we go with Week 1!

Day 1

My adventure began in beautiful Budapest, where I stayed with a lovely local woman named Maria in a spare bedroom that I found through Roomorama. I purposely arrived to Budapest 2 days before my Intrepid Travel trip began in order to explore Hungary’s capital a bit. I could have easily spent 2 weeks there and would still have had things to discover!

Pest, as seen from across the Danube.

Day 2

I walked. And walked. And walked. I crossed 3 of Budapest’s bridges (the Margaret, Chain, and Elizabeth), rode a funicular, explored Buda Castle and Fisherman’s Bastion, enjoyed strolling along the Danube, and even checked out the famous Szimpla ruin bar in the daylight hours. And I took a LOT of pictures.

Day 3

After transferring to the hotel where I would later meet my 3 Intrepid tour mates, I set out up Andrassy Avenue, bound for Heroes Square and the Szechenyi Bath and Spa. After soaking for a few hours at the beautiful bath, I met up with my tour group for dinner, and then hit the Danube for an hour-long narrated river cruise after dark.

Heroes Square. It used to include a few Habsburgs, but they were removed after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian empire.

The Szechenyi Baths

Hungarian Parliament illuminated at night

Day 4

Officially the first day of my Intrepid Travel trip, my group and I headed to the train station and caught a morning train to the town of Eger in northeastern Hungary. While Eger is cute and colorful and boasts a nice hilltop castle, the region’s real draw is its vast collection of wine cellars in The Valley of the Beautiful Women. After dinner, we went on a short “cellar crawl” (like a pub crawl, but with wine) through the valley, tasting some local specialties and chatting up a guy who turned out to be one of the biggest TV producers in Hungary.

Eger from above

Eger Castle

A street in Eger

The Valley of the Beautiful Women

Wine tasting in a cellar in Eger

Day 5

From Eger, we took a bus ride to the gorgeous town of Debrecen, where we had a few hours to explore before taking a train across the border into Romania. From the train station, we took a mini bus to the rural region of Maramures, where we would stay for 2 nights at a fabulous local home stay in the traditional village of Vadu Izei.

Colorful Debrecen

Crossing the Romanian border by train

Rural Romania

The view from my balcony in Vadu Izei

Day 6

Today was spent exploring all the amazing things Maramures has to offer. We began the morning with a visit to Merry Cemetery, a UNESCO World Heritage site where colorful gravestones tell the stories of the dead through pictures and poems. We then had a picnic in the Romanian countryside, visited a UNESCO-recognized painted wooden church in Budesti, met woodcarvers, and got a glimpse into a traditional Romanian home. The long day was rounded out by a visited to Barsana Monastery.

Crosses in Merry Cemetery

Our picnic spot

Budesti Wooden Church, built in 1643

Inside Budesti Wooden Church

Inside a traditional Romanian room

Barsana Monastery complex

Day 7

We left Vadu Izei before 5 a.m. in order to catch a mini bus and then an 8-hour train ride to the medieval town of Sighisoara, Romania. This fortified fairytale town is full of old, old buildings and a lot of stories. It’s the birthplace of Vlad Tepes (AKA Dracula), and has an interesting Saxon history. We went up the town’s clock tower for some nice views, walked up to an old gothic church on the hill, and enjoyed strolling the colorful, cobbled streets.

The main square in Sighisoara

View from the clock tower

The Week in Numbers

Each week, I’ll try to give you an idea of how I’m traveling, and what things generally cost.

Number of flights: 3

Number of trains: 3

Number of buses: 1

Number of mini buses: 3

Number of taxis/shuttles: 4

Number of times it’s rained: 2

A meal in Hungary: $8-$16 USD

Gellert Funicular (one-way): $3.75 USD

Entry to Szechenyi Bath: $15 USD

Hour-long narrated Danube cruise: $17 USD (student)

A meal in Romania: $3-$7 USD

Using a train station toilet in Romania: $0.30 USD

Photo license at Merry Cemetery: $1.50 USD

Entry to Sighisoara clock tower: $0.70 USD (student)

*Note: I’m not quoting the price of accommodation, as it’s all been included so far. Also, I’ve been getting student discounts here and there; the regular adult price would be higher.

So there you have Week 1 of my European adventure! Come back next week for Week 2’s round-up.

If there’s anything more you want to know about my weeks, tell me in the comments!

*Another note: Intrepid Travel has graciously provided me with a complimentary 18-day tour through Eastern Europe. But all opinions, as always, are entirely my own.

53 Comments

Wow, Amanda, that’s a lot of amazing things and it’s only been Week 1! Can’t wait to see the rest of your time in Eastern Europe! Great photos as always! I’m so bummed I missed out on Budapest when I was at that side of the world. There’s always a next time!Antoinette B. recently posted..Hanging with the Dearly Departed at Bonaventure Cemetery

Wow! I have never been to Europe and it seems that you have captured all its splendour and beauty in your shots. What beautiful scenes, waiting eagerly for more.Arti recently posted..My Yatra Diary Goes International!

Looks like a great Week 1! 18 days with Intrepid sounds like loads fun especially in Eastern Europe. I’m dying to explore this part of Europe. Kieu ~ GQ trippin recently posted..6 Months of Travel and Fall 2012 Plans

We’re about a week in, and it’s been great so far. I’m really liking the Intrepid style of travel, and am looking forward to writing about it – it definitely isn’t your average guided tour of Europe! And Eastern Europe is just blowing me away…

Looks like your staying busy & having too much fun! Keep up the good work, I’m enjoying reading all about your Eastern adventures! Will you recap what the weather is like? Mostly sunny with a little rain, are you always wearing a light jacket? That sort of thing? Thank you!Heathers Harmony recently posted..Sandusky has Real Problems but that Doesn’t Mean I can’t Vent too, Right?

Staying way too busy some days! Lol. But yes, also having lots of fun.

The weather has been mostly hot and sunny. A bit cooler up in the Romanian mountains, but I’ve really only worn a jacket on two days – once in Eger when it rained and was chilly, and another time in rural Romania on a day when it was cooler in the shade. It’s getting hotter the farther south we go though!

Amanda, This tour looks amazing! I love Budapest (particularly the Szechenyi Baths, which left me weak in the knees – as in very relaxed), but now I’m fired up to get to Romania. Thanks for the inspiration.Jeff Dobbins recently posted..Murray Hall: Tough Guy…with a Twist

Great recap, looking forward to hearing about where you head next! And thanks for highlighting some other parts of Hungary–I loved Budapest and hope I can explore more of the country one day.Rachel recently posted..Photo essay – Ennerdale, Lake District

The pictures are gorgeous. I love the colors! I’d never considered Budapest as a destination before, but think I’ll reconsider. Meanwhile, tell us more about your Roomorama experience. Good?Juliann recently posted..I’m Not Wafflin’ — I Want A Waffle!

What a fantastic itinerary filled with so many sights and tours! Your photography is stunning my friend!! The nighttime cruise must have been enchanting to say the least!! I really look forward to the rest of your eastern European adventure!Jeff Titelius recently posted..Guided Tour to the Tuscan Hilltop Town of Pienza, Italy

It all looks fabulous, but I especially love the smaller towns you have been visiting – they look like something out of a story book! And I’ve added Merry Cemetery and the Barsana Monastery to my bucket list – I’d never heard of them before, but they look just wonderful!

Sounds like you’re having a great time! I love all the photos, looks like such a beautiful part of Europe. Eastern Europe – inching its way up on my list of places to see soon!Ali recently posted..Heidelberg Castle Still Guarding Its Walls

Ali, you are so close to Eastern Europe that you’d be silly not to explore a bit of it on your own! So far, everywhere we’ve been has been pretty great – definitely an underrated part of the world! And the best part? It’s super affordable!

Wow, Amanda, what an amazing trip you are having. Great photos, too. A lot of your experiences remind me of home stays and village stays i had in the Czech Republic in the late 90s. It is always so wonderful and eye-opening to really meet the local people.

It seemed like a great adventure! The route through Romania it’s a great one and we’re happy you enjoyed our beautiful country. Next time you come, there are a lot of other places worth discovering / exploring, such as the Danube Delta or the painted monasteries of Bucovina…

Get to Know Me

One ordinary girl in search of
life's extraordinary adventures.

I'm just a small-town Ohio girl trying to balance a "normal" life with a desire to discover the world beyond my Midwest bubble. I'm here to prove to people that traveling (and especially traveling as a woman) doesn't have to be scary, lonely, or out of anybody's reach. Follow along on the journey!